Senador Flávio Bolsonaro (PL), a presidential hopeful, presented a 12-measure [1] public security program during an event in São Paulo on May 18, 2026 [4].
The proposal signals a strategic pivot toward a hardline law-and-order platform. This shift follows a period of campaign instability and a public crisis involving banker Daniel Vorcaro [2, 3].
Among the primary pillars of the plan is the expansion of the federal prison system. Bolsonaro said he proposes the creation of five [2] new federal prisons to increase the state's capacity to isolate high-risk offenders.
The plan also seeks to overhaul the Brazilian legal system regarding juvenile offenders. He said he proposes reducing the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 years [3]. This change would allow the judiciary to try younger individuals as adults in specific cases.
Further measures in the program target sexual offenders. The plan includes the implementation of chemical castration for rapists as a means of preventing recidivism [1].
Bolsonaro is using the security and economy agendas to reposition his image. The move is intended to close the chapter on the Vorcaro controversy and refocus voter attention on governance and public safety [2, 3].
The 12-point [1] program arrives as the candidate seeks to solidify his base within the Liberal Party (PL), and appeal to voters demanding stricter penalties for crime. By focusing on these measures, the campaign aims to establish a clear contrast with opposing platforms regarding the treatment of criminals and the role of the federal government in policing.
“Flávio Bolsonaro proposed the creation of five new federal prisons.”
The introduction of this platform indicates a move toward populist 'tough-on-crime' rhetoric to recover political momentum. By proposing chemical castration and a lower criminal age, Bolsonaro is targeting a specific conservative electorate that prioritizes punitive justice over rehabilitation, while attempting to distract from recent campaign controversies.
